Lyman Abbott appeared.
"The ancient bell-wether of the Standard Oil," Travers irreverently
dubbed him.
The College Y.M.C.A. accorded him a reception. I was one of those
invited to meet him.
After he had delivered a brief talk on God and The Soul, questions were
invited--meant only to be politely put, that the speaker might shine.
But my question was not put for the sake of social amenity ... though
I'll admit, just a little for the sake of showing off.
"Dr. Abbott," I asked, "it is quite possible that there are other worlds
in the sky--that, also, the rest of the planets either are or will be,
homes for souls, for living beings equal to or higher than our present
human grade of development?"
"Yes, yes, that is quite probable."
"Well, then, God, to prove a just God, would have to send his Son to be
crucified a million times--once for each world ... for, if He did not,
then the souls on these worlds would either be damned without a chance
for salvation, or, if God made an exception in their case, that would be
an unfair deal--for us to suffer from a fault other worlds are free of."
Dr. Abbott hemmed and hawed.
"It is not yet proven that there are other inhabited worlds. I an only
dealing with questions of practical theology," he answered, with some
heat and an attempt to be sarcastic.
The members of the Y.M.C.A. were indignant at me for putting a maladroit
question.
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